


Untitled

by how_obscure



Category: Firefly
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-02-10
Updated: 2010-02-10
Packaged: 2017-11-05 10:54:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/405615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/how_obscure/pseuds/how_obscure
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>River learns the depth of Jayne's feelings after a job goes wrong.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Untitled

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for an exchange on LJ's rayne_exchange for gilove2dance and her prompt "I can't breathe without you."

The crew of Serenity had to rediscover their place, both in the ‘verse and on the ship, after the events of Miranda. Relationships and duties were understandably altered. In some ways, some people were more distant than ever, but in other ways, everyone’s bonds grew stronger. The ship’s mercenary had a newfound respect for the ship’s resident assassin/crazy genius/pilot, and she found his new level of commitment to Serenity afforded him the ability to display some of his finer points. Despite this, no one was more surprised than River and Jayne were when their relationship became more than platonic. Of course, that could be because no one else knew about it.

Morning dawned on the day of a job and River was on her way to Jayne’s bunk for a weapons check before donning her arms. It was something the captain conveniently insisted upon as a safety measure. There, she would indeed get her weapons checked. Also, her tonsils. It was a nice tradition they had started.

Humming lightly, she dropped into his quarters, various harnesses hanging loosely from her arms. Jayne was organizing ammo and loading guns; he tossed a quick grin and a wink over his shoulder as he finished the last one. River just stood, still humming, and basked in the intimate warmth that seemed to permeate the room, until he completed his task and walked over to her. She handed him her assortment of guns, knives, holsters, and sheaths with a sly smile. His eyes briefly reflected her mischief but turned serious as he laid her things on his bed for careful inspection. Once satisfied that everything was in top working condition, his focus snapped back to River, who giggled and spread out her arms. “Are you going to dress me now?” 

Jayne picked up her shoulder harness and slid it slowly up one bare arm and then the other, fingertips leaving a trail of goose bumps where they lightly brushed her skin, before leaning in to kiss her. His hands trailed back down to tighten the straps. His years of experience guided them to find the perfect fit before allowing his thumb to slide against the underside of her breast. River’s breath shuddered out against his lips and gorram if those sounds didn’t drive him crazy. Who knew puttin’ stuff on a girl could be nearly as fun as takin’ it off? 

He reached over to the bed and picked up her two pistols, slipped them slowly into the holsters. He snapped them in place before lowering to his knees. River sat on his bed and lifted her leg so that he may put on her thigh strap. The ribbed nylon sent shivers down her spine as he guided it up her leg. Jayne paused at her knee to push her skirt a little higher. He settled the harness against her thigh and pulled it snug. He palmed the knife just to her right and moved to place it in the sheath, pausing to admire the silver gleam next to her pale skin. Having secured the blade, he dropped a kiss to the inside of her knee and stood up. She followed suit with a sigh.

“A time to reap, a time to sew. I need my boots.” With that, she left to finish preparing for the job.   
~~~~~~~~

“There are secrets in the eaves.” River’s voice echoed in the warehouse.

“What?” Mal asked her just as another voice spoke.

“Malcolm Reynolds. How nice to see you.” The words were pleasant but there was something sinister in his smile.

“Trap.”

Mal barely had time to register her words; before he could even reach for his gun, he heard the sound of firearms being cocked behind them. He scowled before flashing his business grin¾the one that meant he was less than pleased and entirely insincere. “Haber.”

He stood behind a table some twenty feet before them. Two men stood on either side of him, guns pointed at the crew. On the table sat, a bag, presumably their pay taken from its hiding place. Behind them, were undoubtedly at least two more gunmen.

“We decided we would take this job instead, Captain, and any subsequent jobs you would receive from Mr. Tao-Yong. You’ve taken far too much of our revenue by engaging in business with our employer. You can understand how we would like our top spot back.” 

“T’ain’t my fault I’m prettier.” 

“Malcolm, you have four guns pointed at you. This is not the time for your famous repartee.”

“Famous?” he raised his eyebrows before a cocky expression took over. 

“Search them for weapons then line them up against the wall.”

The two men in the back walked toward Zoe. One kept his gun trained on the group; the other began removing her guns. Then, all hell broke loose. It all seemed to happen both too quickly and too slowly for Jayne. River, who had the least attention on her due to her age and size, darted forward. All three of the guards still at the ready swung their guns on her. Zoe sent her elbow flying back into her man’s ribcage. Jayne pulled his gun on the other man in back, shooting him in the chest. Mal took aim at one of the front men as River ducked from the other’s shot. River reached for her gun to take out the other as Haber pulled a gun of his own. She managed to shoot her first target and Mal shot Haber, but not before he got a shot off. Time froze for Jayne when he heard River gasp. 

~~~~~~~~~

The entire way back to Serenity, Jayne was surrounded by an angry orange miasma, his thoughts swirling around and around the events that took place as the job went sour. In point of fact, everyone had their own cloud of varying sizes and colors of annoyance, but Jayne’s dwarfed them all. The pay had been jeopardized on another job gone wrong. It was one of his pet peeves. He remained stormy as she went to the infirmary to get her arm cleaned and bandaged. Afterward, she followed his vibrations to his bunk, intent on distracting him from his anger.

She was surprised when he turned it to her. 

“What the gorram _hell_ were you thinkin’?” he shouted when she dropped into his bunk. 

“It was a calculated risk. There were very few options for escape with the payroll. Odds were moderately favorable and it put no one else in danger.” 

“It put _you_ in danger!” 

“You protect crew, family. I’ll have no more death on my hands.” He could see the tears beginning to form and crossed the room to her, grabbing her arms and giving her a firm shake. Her eyes snapped up to his. 

“T’ain’t none of that your fault and you _damn well_ better know that,” he growled, his eyes intense. “The Alliance what made that mess and not one person on this here boat weren’t doin’ what they thought was right.” Tiny trembles shook over River’s body, but with a deep breath, she steered the conversation back to the present business.

“We do the job and we get paid. Coin was secured and there were no casualties.”

He dropped his arms. “You were _shot_!”

“It was just a graze,” she replied dismissively, turning away.

“Well, what if it had been more than that, huh? What then?” He was back in front of her, leaning in her space. River opened her mouth, trying to form an answer, when he cut her off. “I need you so damn much,” he gasped as he leaned his forehead against hers, arms back on her shoulders. “Sometimes, I think I can’t even _breathe_ without you anymore.” 

And it snapped into place. He wasn’t angry that the job went south; he was angry that she put herself in danger. He was angry because he was scared, because he _loved_ her. The intimacy felt when they were alone together wasn’t because of the physical intimacy they shared but the emotional. This time, her gasp made him chuckle. It was a low, throaty sound and it filled her with warmth, and the kiss that followed was filled with promise.


End file.
